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 30 NOVEMBER 1944 - Captain Gerard F. Wientjes, pilot of "Playmate 21", departed Morotai
at 0535 with orders to cover a strike on Negros and deliver supplies and ammunition to
Guerilla forces at Baliango. He was joined by his fighter escort at 1020, and proceeded to
the target. At 1100 he received a message that the crew of a C-47 was sighted on the
beach, five miles North of Tagolo Point, off Mindanao. At 1200, Captain Wientjes left the
target and at 1310 landed at Baliango and discharged his cargo. Taking off at 1413, he
returned to the survivors and took them aboard at 1430. The
entire C-47 crew, members of
Headquarters Squadron, F.E.A., survived the crash and are listed as follows:
First Lieutenant David G. Gentz, F/O Jack B. Abraham,
Staff Sergeant Clifford Mackey, Cpl Anthone Haise, Cpl Jose A. Duns,
and Pfc Richard Bednarski. The pilot stated that while on their way to Leyte, they
encountered bad weather and were attacked by enemy fighters, far West of their course. The
fighters made several passes at them, shooting holes through their gas tank and ailerons.
The elevator was also damaged. They were finally forced to ditch their plane on the beach
at Salino, five miles North of Tagolo Point, at 1330. All men were unhurt and in good
condition. The rescue plane took off at 1450 and at 1540 landed at
Dipolog and picked up
the Governor of Zamboanga Province and also 2Lt Almendras of the Philippine Signal Corps.
The plane took off at 1745, arriving at Morotai at 2216.
RESCUED
C-47 CREW: First
Lieutenant David G. Gentz, Flight Officer Jack B. Abraham, Staff
Sergeant Clifford
Mackey, Corporal Anthone Haise, Cpl Jose A. Duns, and Pfc Richard Bednarski, HQ Squadron, Far
East Air Forces
AIRCRAFT
TYPE:
OA-10A*
USAAF SERNO:
44-33884
(CV-340)**
CALLSIGN:
"Playmate
Two One"
CREW:
(Pilot) Captain Gerard F. Wientjes,
(Co-Pilot) 1Lt John S. Denison
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*
Aircraft produced at Canadian Vickers Ldt, Cartierville, Quebec, Canada
** Canadian Vickers contract number that was unique to each
aircraft produced by at Cartierville
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